Game review: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

The Force Unleashed is being hyped as the new Star Wars film. Not, perhaps, the biggest selling point considering the quality of the last few movies, but fans needn't worry – Unleashed focuses on the fun stuff rather than trade negotiations and political infighting.

Play for five minutes and it becomes clear that you can switch your brain off. From the opening level featuring Darth Vader, to the meat of the game where you play as his apprentice, this is a shoot lightning, ask question later affair.

Yes, you can hack away with your lightsaber, but the real fun is using the Force powers. Think gripping, throwing, lightning. Anyone who played ageing cult classic Psi-Ops will be familiar with the physics-based combat.

And the game does makes you feel like a bad guy. From culling Wookies to electrocuting Jawas – complete with twitching corpses – there is enough here to satisfy your dark side.

Fans will enjoy the story too, and even the less committed will appreciate some better-than-the-gaming norm characters and writing. But when it comes to gameplay, the verdict is less clear.

Variety is the problem. Once the initial thrill of levitating Stormtroopers and blitzing Greedo's relatives wears off, the real incentive to continue – bar the story – is to gawp at an invariably pretty new planet or landscape.

And with the odd dull interior aside, the impressive vistas in Force Unleashed are worth a visit. But you may feel your heart sink as yet another wave of assailants comes running toward you.

Force Unleashed is almost retro in its gameplay. No wandering off the beaten track, no lengthy conversations, no online – this is old-fashioned platforming/combat action that you could almost imagine in 2D.

The game also makes you restart sections if you fail to reach a save point – loading screens are overly intrusive too – which feels almost quaint in these days of Bioshock/Too Human style no-loss death.

Even the currently fashionable levelling and customisation – ie, get points for your kills which allow you to unlock new skills and armour and update your lightsaber – feel a little tacked on. This is most noticeable when starting a new level and suddenly finding yourself with an entirely new skill.

Repetitive action isn't the only problem. For a game which requires rapid targeting – to manipulate items and attack enemies – the lock-in is frustratingly imprecise. Often you'll find yourself lifting a crate or sending lightening into a chair rather than the rampaging enemy.

This is especially annoying when you have to take the game's misfiring camera into account. End of level boss battles are the worst culprit, with enemies often attacking off screen. These encounters are often a chore, with trial and error playing a big factor.

The final scene usually involves a QTE sequence – press the buttons in the right order – which is great for adding a cinematic mood but feels unsatisfying after a lengthy fight.

Despite these issues, the action – brainless as it is – is entertaining enough in short doses. And the story alone makes this a must for Star Wars fans. Not a classic then, but Force Unleashed is a solid action game that restores some of your faith in that galaxy far, far away.